Apple rumored to release 'iPhone 4S' with T-Mobile, Sprint support in Sept.

A new report claims that the fifth-generation iPhone will be a relatively minor update dubbed "4S" that will bring support for both Sprint and T-Mobile networks in the U.S.

The details come from a research note from Jeffries & Co. analyst Peter Misek, first reported on by Forbes. In the note, Misek asserts that the next iPhone will not support the next-generation 4G long-term evolution networks that offer higher speeds than the current 3G wireless technology.

Citing industry checks, he said the fifth-generation iPhone will arrive in September with "minor cosmetic changes, better cameras, A5 dual-core processor, and HSPA+ support." New carriers are expected to include Sprint, T-Mobile, and China Mobile.

Apple reportedly hoped to have LTE chips ready for its next iPhone, but the performance of current products is said to not meet Apple's standards. Instead, the company will rely on its backup plan phone, dubbed the "iPhone 4S."

Reports began to surface in March that Apple would not meet the usual June launch timeframe for this year's iPhone upgrade. Instead, the device is expected to debut during Apple's next fiscal year, which begins in late September.

Various reports and alleged prototypes have shown devices with a larger screen, utilizing a new edge-to-edge display that would keep the hardware itself the same size. And in April, a Verizon executive suggested that Apple's next iPhone would be a world phone capable of connecting to both GSM and CDMA wireless networks.

Friday's report echoes many details stated in April by Reuters, which claimed that the next iPhone would arrive in September and would boast a faster processor while looking "largely similar to the iPhone 4." Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also told AppleInsider that the next-generation iPhone would go into mass production in September, would sport the same A5 processor found in the iPad 2, and would have an upgraded 8-megapixel rear camera.